Control apparatus for gas making machines



Jan. 12 111:12:` J. c. STELFOX 1,841,340

. CONTROL APPARATUS FR GAS MAKING MACHINES Fied May 18, 1929 s sheets-sheet 1 Jan. 12, 1932. J. c. sTELr-ox 1,841,340

CONTROL APPARATUS FOR GAS MAKING MACHINES Filed May 18, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7526 c @for `Ian. 1.2, 1932. J, C, STELFOX 1,841,340

CONTROL APPARATUS,FOR GAS MAKING MACHINES Filed May 18, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 cam bars, the arms are rocked by a hand lever 22h. The eccentric slots 21 correspond-` ing to the respective cam bars of each pair are so set that one cam bar will beV raised and the other lowered by. rocking the shaft 22a. Pin and slot connections are provided between the cam bars and the rods 18, 14 and 19, there being greaterV play between the pins and slotsfof the hand operated rods 19than between those ofthe rods 13, and14; the

bearings 23 of the hand lifting rods 19 are supported on springs 23a Y(see F2) and can be depressed by meansof a Ycam shaft 'through the action of the eccentric vslot 21 on the pin 20. y Y

This same cam shaft 211 may beV adapted to act on the levers 15, 16 which bearon the automatic operator cams 17, 18V so as to suspend the action of the automatic operator, `leaving the valves in the positions they then Voccupy,for to setall the valves to :the shut down position, accordingto the direction in which the cam shaft is turned.` The levers 15, 16 have downwardly extending tails lying on opposite sides of double cam 211a on the shaft 24 which also has cams 24h above the bearings 23.Y YIfrthe shaft 24 Abegiven a quarter turn in a clockwise direction .frornthe direction 'shown in Fig. 1 into the position :of Figpll, the double cam 24a willfen'gagefy the `tails of the levers 15, 16 and hold them out of "engagement with the cams 17, 18 and the cams 24J will continue .to hold down the'bearings 23-with the result that thelcanibars 9, 110 will belowered and thepawls 7,8 will be held outy of engagement'with the valve levers 6 so'that the valves will'be left in thepositions'theycoccupy at the moment the shaft 24 is turned. If the shaft 24, be given a quarl ter turnin the opposite direction from the lposition ofV Figure 1, :the cam 211EL will hold the levers 15, 16 out of engagement with the cams 17, 181but thecams 24f.:will.clear the 'bearings 23`sothat ,the spindle 22% will rise .thereby causing suchmovements of the cam bars 9, aswill settlie valves to the lshut i Y .down or safetyv positions. v

.Airshow thev positions ofthe valves.V j

Provision may be made-Aforrapplying-a "hand lever directly to each valve lever to .When the valves are in the Lshut down position and the motor drive inoperation, any valve can be caused to be opened or shut by operationof the corresponding handlever;"all, hand levers shouldA be in the shut :downpositionwhen the automatic operator sis in action and then do not move.

'The hand 4levers are interlocked for safety and indicators, see'26 Fig; 1, are provided to move same by hand. Fig. 1 shows the valve lever 6 formed with a socket 6X to receive a hand lever U The crank shaft 1 is coupled to the drive by asuitable clutch and'arfleiviible shock absorbing coupling, not shown.

The motor control is such that any appreciable overload, including that which would bekzausce'dv by 'the failure of any valve to complete itsstrolre yproperly 'and in good/time, willcause the sounding of-an alarm 'and any further .and dangerous overload will cut off current Yfrom the motor; by turning the camjshaft 2i into the hand operating position the valve lever pawl or coupling transmitting'thc overload can then be disengaged by operating thecorresponding hand lever, when the motor canjwbeagain4 started and kthe Arest ofthe 'valves' moved to the `shut down position by th e ;motor under control of the hand operatingrear.4 Failure of current supply will also sound an alarm.

In Fig. 5, 27 representsthe overload alarm switch, 28fthe currenbfailure alarm switch and 29 the dangerous overload switch, opening-of which cuts-'zoff thefcurrent. motor stopping, after throwing out the motor clutch, the Y crank shaft can be rotated by means of a hand wheel'() or ,handle applied .to.sa`y, apart. ofthey reduction gear. and by 'operating the'` appropriate hand levers 22", .the plant ^can. be shutdown toa safe position at once, for if'the automatic operator be left .iin action, the gas making cyclecan becom- Vpleted beforevv shuttingdown the plant.

- `Having Vnew particularly. described and a's- .certained thenature of ymy said invention 'and in what manner the same is to be performed, AI declarethat what I claim is t.

1. Apparatus for mechanically operating a gas vmanufacturi ng'fplant comprising, in combination, a-source of power,v a member adapted. to be'moved-'continuously to and fro bysaid source of power, pawls mounted on said member, 'a valve lever, a valve, a direct niechanicallinlage betweensaid valve and ls'aid'valve lever, `and an automatic operator adapted' to controlfsai'df pawls and to move one of the pawls 'so as toconnect said member and said valve lever so that the source of power then operatesfthe valvev in the desired y direction at the,y proper rate; and time,

2. Apparatus for mechanically operating a gas manufacturing plant according to 'claim llwherein the controljof thepawls by. the automatic operator maybe suspended and the pawls controlled by,l hand so that the motor can be caused to actuate the valves at will.y I vf Y f' 3. Apparatus for mechanically?,operating a `gas .manufacturingyplant.;according to claim 1 wherein :the control 'ofthe pawls by lthe automatic operator` can be suspended -and simultaneously' the `pawls so set that the On the source of power will move the valve'to safety or shut down position. V

`et. Apparatus for mechanically Voperating a gas manufacturing plant according to claim l wherein there are cam bars for con-ftrolling the pawls adapted to be controlled 1 by the automatic operator or by hand.`

5.` Apparatus for mechanically operating a gas manufacturing plant-comprising, int

combination,a source of power, a stirrupshaped lever adapted to be movedto and fro by said source of power, pairs-of reversely mounted pawls on said lever, 'a' plurality of valve levers spanned by said stirrup-shapedV lever, cam bars for actuating'saidpawlsby nect said memberrand said valve lever so,

that the source ofcpower then operates the valve inthe ,desired-v` direction fatl the properV rate andtime.;V

engagement therewith, an automatic operator for actuating` said cam bars, a plurality of valves, and direct mechanical linkages between each of said valve levers and each of said valves, said pawls being actuated to connect said stirrup-shaped lever and one or Ymore of said valve levers -to provide a direct mechanical connection Vfor actuating 'said valves from said source of power.y y

6. Apparatus for mechanically operating s gasmanufacturingplant according to claini ,.said automatic operator including-,short Y rods attached to Saidcam bars, short `cain` levers. attached to' said rods,'cams,foractiil ating said cam levers, other`r rods connected' to said cani bars, `pins on lsaid otherL rods,

rocking arms having eccentric slots" therein to receive said pins, a rocking shaft supporting said rocking arms, sliding bearings' for:

said rockingshaft, cams for actuating said cam levers into operative connect-ion with the first mentioned cams, cams for moving#4 i said sliding bearings, and means for actu-v ating said pawls byy hand when said slidingi Y a direct mechanical linkage between said valve and said valve lever,'pa wls mounted to t connect and disconnect said member and saidk valve lever, and an automatic operatoradap't-1` L ed to control said pawls and to move oneof; n

the pawlsso as to connect said member Aand saidvalve lever sov tliattlie source of power then operates the valve in the desired direc?,

tion at the proper rate'and time. t

8. Apparatus for mechanically"operating 'i a gas manufacturing plaiit'cornprising, in

combination, a source'of power, agmember adapted to be'inoved continuously to and Jfro by said source of power, avalve lever,

a valve, a direct mechanical,linkageA between said valve and said valve lever, Sepe Y i arate independent means for connectingsaid valve'lever and said member, andan automatic operator adapted to cont-rol said means and to move one of. said means 'so astoV con- JAMES cALnwELLfsTELFoX; 

